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The Resource Foragers, farmers, and fossil fuels : how human values evolve, Ian Morris ; [with responses by] Richard Seaford, Jonathan D. Spence, Christine M. Korsgaard, Margaret Atwood ; edited and introduced by Stephen Macedo

Foragers, farmers, and fossil fuels : how human values evolve, Ian Morris ; [with responses by] Richard Seaford, Jonathan D. Spence, Christine M. Korsgaard, Margaret Atwood ; edited and introduced by Stephen Macedo

Creator
Contributor
Summary
"Most people in the world today think democracy and gender equality are good, and that violence and wealth inequality are bad. But most people who lived during the 10,000 years before the nineteenth century thought just the opposite. Drawing on archaeology, anthropology, biology, and history, Ian Morris, author of the best-selling Why the West Rules--for Now, explains why. The result is a compelling new argument about the evolution of human values, one that has far-reaching implications for how we understand the past--and for what might happen next. Fundamental long-term changes in values, Morris argues, are driven by the most basic force of all: energy. Humans have found three main ways to get the energy they need--from foraging, farming, and fossil fuels. Each energy source sets strict limits on what kinds of societies can succeed, and each kind of society rewards specific values. In tiny forager bands, people who value equality but are ready to settle problems violently do better than those who aren't; in large farming societies, people who value hierarchy and are less willing to use violence do best; and in huge fossil-fuel societies, the pendulum has swung back toward equality but even further away from violence. But if our fossil-fuel world favors democratic, open societies, the ongoing revolution in energy capture means that our most cherished values are very likely to turn out--at some point fairly soon--not to be useful any more. Originating as the Tanner Lectures delivered at Princeton University, the book includes challenging responses by novelist Margaret Atwood, philosopher Christine Korsgaard, classicist Richard Seaford, and historian of China Jonathan Spence"--
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xxii, 369 pages
Contents
  • Each Age Gets the Thought It Needs
  • Foragers
  • Farmers
  • Fossil Fuels
  • The Evolution of Values : Biology, Culture, and the Shape of Things to Come
  • On the Ideology of Imagining That "Each Age Gets the Thought It Needs" / Richard Seaford
  • But What Was It Really Like? : The Limitations of Measuring Historical Values / Jonathan D. Spence
  • Eternal Values, Evolving Values, and the Value of the Self / Christine M. Korsgaard
  • When the Lights Go Out : Human Values after the Collapse of Civilization / Margaret Atwood
  • My Correct Views on Everything / Ian Morris
Isbn
9780691160399
Instance
Label
Foragers, farmers, and fossil fuels : how human values evolve
Title
Foragers, farmers, and fossil fuels
Title remainder
how human values evolve
Statement of responsibility
Ian Morris ; [with responses by] Richard Seaford, Jonathan D. Spence, Christine M. Korsgaard, Margaret Atwood ; edited and introduced by Stephen Macedo
Creator
Contributor
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
"Most people in the world today think democracy and gender equality are good, and that violence and wealth inequality are bad. But most people who lived during the 10,000 years before the nineteenth century thought just the opposite. Drawing on archaeology, anthropology, biology, and history, Ian Morris, author of the best-selling Why the West Rules--for Now, explains why. The result is a compelling new argument about the evolution of human values, one that has far-reaching implications for how we understand the past--and for what might happen next. Fundamental long-term changes in values, Morris argues, are driven by the most basic force of all: energy. Humans have found three main ways to get the energy they need--from foraging, farming, and fossil fuels. Each energy source sets strict limits on what kinds of societies can succeed, and each kind of society rewards specific values. In tiny forager bands, people who value equality but are ready to settle problems violently do better than those who aren't; in large farming societies, people who value hierarchy and are less willing to use violence do best; and in huge fossil-fuel societies, the pendulum has swung back toward equality but even further away from violence. But if our fossil-fuel world favors democratic, open societies, the ongoing revolution in energy capture means that our most cherished values are very likely to turn out--at some point fairly soon--not to be useful any more. Originating as the Tanner Lectures delivered at Princeton University, the book includes challenging responses by novelist Margaret Atwood, philosopher Christine Korsgaard, classicist Richard Seaford, and historian of China Jonathan Spence"--
Member of
Cataloging source
DLC
http://bibfra.me/vocab/lite/collectionName
The Tanner lectures on human values
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1960-
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Morris, Ian
Dewey number
303.4
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • maps
  • charts
Index
index present
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorDate
  • 1936-
  • 1939-
  • 1957-
  • 1960-
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorName
  • Seaford, Richard
  • Spence, Jonathan D.
  • Korsgaard, Christine M.
  • Atwood, Margaret
  • Macedo, Stephen
  • Morris, Ian
Series statement
The University Center for Human Values series
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Social values
  • Social evolution
  • Social change
  • Power resources
  • Hunting and gathering societies
  • Agriculture
  • Fossil fuels
  • Civilization
  • Civilization
Target audience
adult
Label
Foragers, farmers, and fossil fuels : how human values evolve, Ian Morris ; [with responses by] Richard Seaford, Jonathan D. Spence, Christine M. Korsgaard, Margaret Atwood ; edited and introduced by Stephen Macedo
Instantiates
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 305-339) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • cartographic image
  • text
  • still image
Content type code
  • cri
  • txt
  • sti
Content type MARC source
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
Contents
Each Age Gets the Thought It Needs -- Foragers -- Farmers -- Fossil Fuels -- The Evolution of Values : Biology, Culture, and the Shape of Things to Come -- On the Ideology of Imagining That "Each Age Gets the Thought It Needs" / Richard Seaford -- But What Was It Really Like? : The Limitations of Measuring Historical Values / Jonathan D. Spence -- Eternal Values, Evolving Values, and the Value of the Self / Christine M. Korsgaard -- When the Lights Go Out : Human Values after the Collapse of Civilization / Margaret Atwood -- My Correct Views on Everything / Ian Morris
Control code
000053880725
Dimensions
23 cm.
Extent
xxii, 369 pages
Isbn
9780691160399
Lccn
2014044896
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations, maps
System control number
(OCoLC)894625310
Label
Foragers, farmers, and fossil fuels : how human values evolve, Ian Morris ; [with responses by] Richard Seaford, Jonathan D. Spence, Christine M. Korsgaard, Margaret Atwood ; edited and introduced by Stephen Macedo
Publication
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages 305-339) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • cartographic image
  • text
  • still image
Content type code
  • cri
  • txt
  • sti
Content type MARC source
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
Contents
Each Age Gets the Thought It Needs -- Foragers -- Farmers -- Fossil Fuels -- The Evolution of Values : Biology, Culture, and the Shape of Things to Come -- On the Ideology of Imagining That "Each Age Gets the Thought It Needs" / Richard Seaford -- But What Was It Really Like? : The Limitations of Measuring Historical Values / Jonathan D. Spence -- Eternal Values, Evolving Values, and the Value of the Self / Christine M. Korsgaard -- When the Lights Go Out : Human Values after the Collapse of Civilization / Margaret Atwood -- My Correct Views on Everything / Ian Morris
Control code
000053880725
Dimensions
23 cm.
Extent
xxii, 369 pages
Isbn
9780691160399
Lccn
2014044896
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations, maps
System control number
(OCoLC)894625310

Subject

Member of

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